Lillard’s jumper lifts Trail Blazers over Pistons in OT; Kings beat Rockets behind Gay

Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay (8) scores around Houston Rockets point guard Aaron Brooks (0) and Rockets forward Greg Smith, back left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013. AP

SACRAMENTO, California — Rudy Gay scored 26 points in his first home game since coming over in a trade from Toronto, leading the Sacramento Kings past the Houston Rockets 106-91 Sunday night.

Gay added five rebounds and four assists. He finished 10-for-20 shooting in a dazzling home debut for the Kings, who had lost eight of their past 10 games.

DeMarcus Cousins had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Isaiah Thomas added 19 points and eight assists to help Sacramento hold on to the lead for most of the final three quarters.

James Harden twisted his left ankle early in the third quarter but finished with 25 points, and Dwight Howard had 13 points and 10 rebounds while battling foul trouble in a disappointing end to Houston’s cramped three-game road trip. The Rockets lost at Portland on Thursday and won at Golden State on Friday.

TRAIL BLAZERS 111, PISTONS 109, OT

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan — Damian Lillard hit a spinning fadeaway with one-tenth of a second left in overtime to lift Portland over Detroit.

Lillard was guarded well by Rodney Stuckey as he tried to drive to the basket, but he was able to hit a tough fadeaway from about 8 feet. Detroit couldn’t get off a shot before the buzzer.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 27 points for Portland, which rallied from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Lillard finished with 23 points.

Josh Smith scored 31 points, his most since signing with the Pistons as a free agent in the offseason.

TIMBERWOLVES 101, GRIZZLIES 93

MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Kevin Love had 30 points and nine rebounds, Minnesota hit a season-high 12 3-pointers in beating Memphis.

The victory snapped Minnesota’s 11-game losing streak to the Grizzlies and also gave the Timberwolves their third win in the last four.

Love was 11 of 21 from the field, including 4 of 8 from outside the arc as Minnesota converted 12 of 26 from long range. Minnesota had made 11 3-pointers six times this season, including in Friday night’s loss at San Antonio. Nikola Pekovic scored 19 points, while reserve J.J. Barea had 15. Ricky Rubio finished with 12 points.

Mike Conley led the Grizzlies with 28 points before leaving with just under 4 minutes left with a bruised left thigh. Zach Randolph had 20 points and 12 rebounds.

SUNS 106, WARRIORS 102

PHOENIX — Eric Bledsoe scored seven of his 24 points in the fourth quarter as Phoenix won its fifth straight game, holding off Stephen Curry and Golden State.

Bledsoe added eight rebounds and eight assists, Goran Dragic scored 21 points, and Channing Frye added 20 for the Suns.

Curry scored 30 points, including 20 in the second half, and Klay Thompson added 19 for the Warriors, who have lost three of four. David Lee added 18 points and 13 rebounds for his fifth straight double-double.

Golden State trailed by as many as nine in the third quarter, but pulled to within 76-75 on Curry’s 3-pointer that capped a 10-2 Golden State run.

THUNDER 101, MAGIC 98

OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant had 28 points, nine rebounds and five assists, as Oklahoma City held off Orlando to win its 12th straight home game to open the season.

Russell Westbrook added 20 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for Oklahoma City, which has won six straight overall and 14 of its last 15. The Thunder have beaten the Magic in five straight meetings.

An 11-1 run near the end of the first half gave Oklahoma City control until Orlando rallied within two points in the final minute. Durant hit a free throw and Serge Ibaka blocked a shot by Nikola Vucevic to preserve the win.

Arron Afflalo scored 25 points and Vucevic had 13 points and 16 rebounds for Orlando, which has lost 11 of its 13 road games this season.

NUGGETS 102, PELICANS 93

DENVER — J.J. Hickson had 19 points and 11 rebounds as Denver overcame a slow start to beat New Orleans.

Wilson Chandler added 19 to help the Nuggets bounce back from a rare home loss on Friday. They’re 7-3 at Pepsi Center this season after going a franchise-best 38-3 in 2012-13.

Ryan Anderson scored 26 and Austin Rivers chipped in a season-high 17 for the Pelicans, who began a five-game road swing. They were without guard Tyreke Evans, who sat out with a sprained left ankle.